He has almost completed his three transfer priorities at Manchester United

 

In March, John Murtough was named Manchester United's football director, and it's fair to say he came into the job with three major priorities.

Murtough, who joined United in November 2013, is in charge of leading and overseeing operations for both the men's and women's teams, as well as the academy, and he's also in charge of the club's transfer plan this summer.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer committed to working with Murtough on recruitment "to guarantee that the first team has the best-in-class operations support it requires to win," and so far the two have been up to their word.

This year's transfer policy has the potential to have major consequences on future title dreams, especially after United solidified their prospective runners-up position in the Premier League - it's maybe a sliding doors moment - but they've made an outstanding start.

Sancho has finally joined the Reds after lengthy talks with Borussia Dortmund proved fruitful, as the winger signed a £72.9 million deal that would keep him at the club until June 2026, with an option for a further year.

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Sancho has established himself as one of the world's best young talents in recent years, scoring 16 goals and assisting 20 times in all competitions last season, indicating that United have landed a fantastic deal for the 21-year-old.

That was arguably Murtough's first priority, but he now needs to find a suitable centre-back partner for Harry Maguire, and the signing of Raphael Varane, who has an impeccable Real Madrid CV, would be another important statement of intent.

Once a deal for a centre-back is completed, the elephant in the room - the uncertainty surrounding Paul Pogba - must be addressed.

Pogba is one of United's few world-class players, but if he wants to leave the North West, as rumors suggest he does - PSG are keen - no player is bigger than United, and he should be allowed to depart for greener pastures

Murtough has gotten the majority of things right in his new role at Old Trafford so far, but it's critical that he keeps it up.